Snap-on bin divider



April 1959 T. M. DUNHAM 2,884,139

SNAP-ON BIN DIVIDER Filed Sept. 25. 1952 ffiomas J7. Dhaka/ 2 United States Patent 2,884,139 SNAP-N BlN DIVIDER "ihonias M. Dunham', Aurora, 11]., assignor to Aurora Equipment Company, Aurora, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application September 25, 1952, Serial No. 311,389

7 Claims. (Cl. 211-184) The present invention relates to shelving and more particularly to a detachable divider for cooperation with Shelving in forming bins.

' It is anrobject of thisinvention to provide a detachable 'ishelf divider which may be readily hookedinto position on top of the shelf and over the front and rear edges of the shelf to divide the area above the shelf into bins,'and

which divider is also adjustable lengthwise of the shelf.

,A further object of this invention relates to the provision of a shelf divider with novel means for detachably interlocking it with the front and rear edges of the shelf without the necessity of using any fastening means.

Yet, a further object of this invention is to provide a ;shelf divider with means for interlocking it in snap-on relation-with the front edge of the shelf in such a manner -as to bind it frictionally to the shelf.

Another and'further object of this invention is to provide detachable snap-on means for securing the frontend 'of a divider to the edge of a shelf and which can be readily concealed by a plate such, for example, as the indicia or name plate which is commonly usedto iden- -'ti'fy the contents of the different bins formed on the shelf by the divider.

In accordance with the general features of this invention there is provided in a shelf constructionincluding a' shelf having front and back vertical edges, a divider front edge of the shelf to hold the divider in tight snapon engagement with both edges of the shelf.

Another feature of the invention relates to the provision of a name or indicia plate in the foregoing construction spaced from but concealing the angular lip of the divider detachably held in the grooved flange.

Other objects and features of this invention will .more fully appear from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which illustrate a single embodiment thereof and in which:

Figure l is a fragmentary perspective view of a cabinet with a shelf having a series of bin dividers of my invention applied thereto and showing the name plate broken ,away to illustrate the snap-on connection between the 1 front end of the divider and the front end of the shelf;

. bin divider; and -.Figure 4 is a modified form of shelf divider wherein the indicia plate is attached to the front flange of the divider in such a way as to conceal its snap-on-engagement with the front part of a shelf.

As shown on the drawings:

The reference character 8 designates generally a-conventional type of cabinet which may be madeof steel. This cabinet may include any number of shelves'9 and, in addition, may or may not have a back wall 10 as desired. Each shelf has a downwardly turned rear flange 9a defining the back edge of the shelf and a downwardly turned front flange 9b defining the front edge of the shelf. The back flange 9a is not necessarily fastened to the back wall 10 so that a space 11 can-be provided between the wall and this flange 9a. This space may exist initially or may be provided by-pushing rearwardly a portion of the back wall when the divider 12 is inserted in position, as will become more evident hereinafter.

A series of sheet metal dividers designated generally by the reference character 12 may be detachably mounted on the top of each shelf 9. They areadjustable lengthwise of the shelf in accordance with the features of this invention. Each divider includes a vertical dividing portion 13 proper and a'base portion 14 at right angles thereto adapted to rest on the top surface of the shelf 9 (Figure 3). In addition, each divider includes at its rear end, when in position on the shelf, .azdownwardly extending flange or back-up shelf divider-portion 15 adapted to be jammed between the shelf flange 9a and the back wall 10 in the space 11, asshownin Figure 2. If the cabinet does not have a back wall then the flange 15 would merely engage down over ,theshelf flange 9a.

Now in order to hold frictionally the divider in position on the shelf, the front of the divider is provided with a downwardly extending flange 16 which is adapted to be placed over the front edge or flange 9b .of the shelf. This flange 16 has its lower extremity at.a. substantial angle to the flange proper and preferably :in

clined rearwardly into a lip 17 beneath the shelf .and the base portion 14 of the divider. This lip -is adapted to frictionally bind against a vertical flange or; extension 19 integral with the front flange'edge 9b of'xthe shelf.

The angular lip 17 is generally of .a V-shaped :cross section with its apex extending rearwardly under the shelf 9. The lip 17 is adaptedto ;be snapped-into'the generally V-shaped grooved area or groove 18 formed in the front flange extension 19 of the shelf.

It will be noted that the extension ,of the front; flange or edge 9b has fastened to it a vertically extending indicia or name plate 20 having inwardly turned upper and lower edges 2121. The upper portion of :;this name plate 20 is spaced from the shelf flange9b sothat the lip 17 of the divider may be pressed-between-the name plate 20 and the flange 9b for snap-on engagement in the groove 18. Moreover, by having the-name plate 20 extend upwardly over the point of .engagementof the lip 17 in the groove 18, it is not'only possible to conceal this engagement but also to use the name plate as a guide for guiding the lip 17 downwardly into .the groove 18 in the mounting of the divider 12 -on the shelf 9.

It will be understood that the nameplateltltis adapted to extend lengthwise of the front flange 9b ;of theshelf as shown in Figure l and is adapted to have slid yllltO it cards with indicia thereonfor identifying the contents of the bins provided by the dividers 12.

In mounting the divider in position .itis first mounted over the shelf and its rear flange 15 is jammedbetween the shelf flange 9a and the back wall 10 in the space 11 as shown in Figure 2. The back-up divider portion'lS engages against rear flange 9b operating as aback-up tional binding of the divider to the shelf and whereby the angular lip 17 will resist displacement of the divider.

It is to be appreciated, however, that the position of the divider on the shelf may be easily adjusted by simply disengaging the lip 17 of the divider from the groove 18 and by sliding the divider longitudinal along the shelf 9.

In Figure 4, I have shown a modification of the invention wherein the shelf divider 12' is identical to the divider 12 with the exception that it also carries on its front flange 16' an indicia plate 20' having turned marginal edges 21'21 between which a card or the like can be slid. On the rear side of the plate 20' is a spacer 22' which is secured to the front flange 16 of the divider 9. The lower rear side of the plate 20 also has attached to it a spacer 23 which serves to space the plate 20 from the lower part or flange 19 of the shelf 9.

The shelf 9' is identical to the shelf 9 with the exception that it does not have attached to it the indicia plate 20. It has its front flange 19' provided with a depression 18' in which the angular terminal 17 of the divider is adapted to be snapped as in the preferred form.

This form of the invention operates in the same Way as in the previously described one with the exception that the indicia plate for concealing the snap-on connection between the divider and the shelf is concealed by the indicia plate carried by the divider instead of by the shelf.

. I claim as my invention:

1. In a shelf construction, a shelf having opposed edges, and a detachable divider in snap-on frictional engagement with said shelf, front and back angularly extending shelf portions disposed at the opposed edges of said shelf, said divider comprising an angular element including an upstanding dividing portion and a base portion resting on the top of said shelf, said divider having a first angularly extending back-up divider portion at one of the edges to engage in longitudinally slidable relation with one of said shelf portions and a second angularly extending divider portion at the other of the edges of said divider in detachable snap-on frictional engagement with the other of said shelf portions with said backup divider portion providing a back-up for said detachable frictional engagement between said second divider portion and said other of said shelf portions, said second angularly extending divider portion and said other of said shelf portions having a grooved area and an exten- P area by bodily moving said divider including sliding said back-tap divider portion along said one of said shelf portions to a predetermined position and again interlocking said extension in said grooved area.

2. In a shelf construction, a shelf having opposed edges, and a detachable divider in snap-on frictional engagement with said shelf, front and back angularly extending shelf portions disposed at the opposed edges of said shelf, said divider comprising an angular element I including an upstanding dividing portion and a base portion resting on the top of said shelf, said divider having a first angularly extending back-up divider portion at one of the edges to engage in longitudinally slidable relation with one of said shelf portions and a second angularly extending divider portion at the other of the edges of said divider in detachable snap-on frictional engagement with the other of said shelf portions with said back-up divider portionproviding a back-up for said d tachable frictional engagement between said second divider portion and said other of said shelf portions, said second angularly extending divider portion and said other of said shelf portions having a grooved area and an extension therebetween with the extension in detachable snap-on frictional inter-locked engagement with the grooved area, said divider being adjustable relative to said shelf when said extension is disengaged from said grooved area by bodily moving said divider including sliding said back-up divider portion along said one of said shelf portions to a predetermined position and again inter-locking said extension in said grooved area, said divider being formed from a single strip of material with said generally angularly extending divider portions emanating from and integral with said base portion.

3. In a shelf construction, a shelf having opposed edges, and a detachable divider in snap-on frictional engagement with said shelf, front and back angularly extending shelf portions disposed at the opposed edges of said shelf, said divider comprising an angular element including an upstanding dividing portion and a base portion resting on the top of said shelf, said divider having a first angularly extending back-up divider portion at one of the edges to engage in longitudinally slidable relation with one of said shelf portions anda second angularly extending divider portion at the other of the edges of said divider in detachable snap-on frictional engagement with the other of said shelf portions with said back-up divider portion providing a back-up for said detachable frictional engagement between said second divider portion and said other of said shelf portions, said second angularly extending divider portion and said other of said shelf portions having a grooved area and an extension therebetween with the extension in detachable snap-on frictional inter-locked engagement with the grooved area, said divider being adjustable relative to said shelf when said extension is disengaged from said grooved area by bodily moving said divider including sliding said back-up divider portion along said one of said shelf portions to a predetermined position and again inter-locking said extension in said grooved area, said grooved area having a V-shaped groove extending along the length of said front shelf portion and said second divider portion carrying said extension being shaped for nesting detachable engagement with said V- shaped groove.

4. In combination, a shelf structure including a shelf panel and with the shelf structure having rearward and forward oppositely facing edge surfaces and a shelf divider carried by said shelf structure which divider lies in a plane intersecting said rearward and forward oppositely facing surfaces, said shelf divider having flange structure extended along its length with spaced flange portions thereof each cooperable with one of said rearward and forward oppositely facing edge surfaces, and snap-on resiliently deflectable shelf divider retaining structure between one of said flange portions and one of said rearward and forward oppositely facing edge surfaces which is associated therewith securing said shelf divider against relative sideways tipping and against relative rearward to forward movement by placing the flange portions under resilient tension with respect to the edge surfaces on the shelf divider.

5. The combination of claim 4 further characterized by said shelf divider retaining structure including a grooved area and a resiliently deflectable extension retainingly cooperable in snap-on relation with respect thereto and upon the release of the resilient tension with said shelf divider being slidable longitudinally with respect to said shelf panel and securable under tension in an adjusted position upon the re-engagement of said resiliently deflectable extension with said grooved area.

6. The combination of claim 5 further characterised by one of said flange portions on said divider comprising said resiliently deflectable extension and by said grooved area extending longitudinally of one of said oppositely facing edge surface and with a plurality of said shelf dividers being sustained by said shelf structure with said shelf dividers being cooperable therewith in the same manner.

7. The combination of claim 4 further characterized by said flange structure including a base portion with said flange portions being underturned with respect thereto into confronting relation with respect to said rearward and forward edge surfaces and with concealing flange structure disposed forwardly of the shelf structure carricd by one of said flange portions and said flange structure in overlying concealing protective relation with re spect to said shelf divider retaining structure.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Wells July 24, 1888 Hofim-an et al. Ian. 21, 1902 Noziska Sept. 30, 1919 Hislop Apr. 25, 1922 Butler Mar. 5, 1929 McCauley Mar. 5, 1929 Joseph Aug. 4, 1942 Weil Jan. 28, 1947 Hilgen Nov. 10, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Mar. 13, 1942 

